Delta Air Lines is giving travelers more reasons to skip the airport food court. Beginning this summer, the carrier is widening the reach of its most popular meals, snacks, and beverages, including Chef Mashama Bailey's Delta One menu, Shake Shack burgers in First Class, and new Farmer's Fridge offerings in the Main Cabin. The move follows steady passenger feedback asking for greater variety, healthier choices, and the ability to enjoy splurge-worthy dishes on more routes.
Key Points
- Why it matters: More flights now feature premium meals travelers once found only on flagship routes.
- Chef Mashama Bailey's Delta One menu expands from Atlanta to dozens of cities.
- Five new wines headline the refreshed Delta One list.
- Shake Shack burgers reach 13 First Class markets by late July.
- Farmer's Fridge adds fresh, healthy buy-on-board meals on Long-Haul Flights from Los Angeles.
- Cheez-It crackers return as a complimentary Main Cabin snack.
Snapshot
Delta's summer refresh centers on three pillars: broad access to its award-winning Delta One menu, indulgent comfort food in First Class, and clean-label meals for economy travelers. Shrimp and grits in spicy Creole sauce and handmade artichoke ravioli now headline Delta One departures from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Cincinnati, Tampa, Salt Lake City, and Seattle. First Class flyers boarding in 13 cities can sink their teeth into Shake Shack's signature burger, while economy passengers on long west-to-east missions from Los Angeles can pick up yogurt parfaits, chia-seed pudding, and pesto pasta bowls from Farmer's Fridge. A seasonal wine rotation and the nostalgic return of Cheez-Its round out the upgrade.
Background
Delta introduced Chef Mashama Bailey's Southern-inspired Delta One menu on Atlanta-originating flights in 2023. Strong customer satisfaction scores soon pushed the airline to consider a broader rollout. Likewise, Delta First's Shake Shack pilot began on transcontinental routes last year and quickly eclipsed forecasted uptake. Farmer's Fridge, founded in Chicago, first appeared in Delta Sky Clubs in 2022 and migrated to limited Main Cabin retail in early 2024. The latest expansion leverages these proven programs to standardize passenger experience across a network that now spans more than 300 destinations.
Latest Developments
Delta's most recent culinary push involves multiple cabin tiers and product categories.
Chef Mashama Bailey's Delta One Menu
The James Beard Award winner's creations are moving beyond Atlanta to 20 domestic gateways and five international hubs. New dishes include:
- Shrimp and Grits: Gulf shrimp, white cheddar grits, andouille, and Creole sauce.
- Artichoke Ravioli: Handmade pasta, panna sauce, roasted cherry tomatoes, and basil oil.
- Seasonal Entrées: Rotating vegetarian and meat options featuring summer produce.
Cabin crews begin pouring a refreshed wine lineup featuring Geografico Brunello di Montalcino, Gerard Bertrand Rosé, Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc, and Bodegas Luis Gurpegui Muga Reserva. Each label ships in limited lots to match Delta's quarterly beverage rotation.
Shake Shack in First Class
Starting in June, eight additional departure cities-including Baltimore, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, and Nashville-join the Shake Shack program, pushing coverage to 13 markets. The single-serve burger meal includes crinkle-cut fries, ShackSauce, and a mini house-made brownie. Orders are capped per flight to maintain quality, so pre-selection through the Fly Delta app is encouraged.
Farmer's Fridge for the Main Cabin
Long-haul flyers leaving Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on flights over 1 500 miles can now purchase:
- Berries-and-granola Greek yogurt.
- Pineapple-coconut chia-seed pudding.
- Pesto pasta bowl with roasted zucchini.
- Baja chicken wrap with pico de gallo.
- Smoked turkey and white cheddar sandwich on multigrain bread.
Delta says the menu meets rising demand for plant-forward, protein-rich options that travel well in a refrigerated galley.
Snack Comeback
Cheez-It crackers, pulled in 2022 to streamline supply during pandemic recovery, return as a complimentary snack in the Main Cabin. The crackers join almond packs, SunChips, and cookies on the rotating tray.
Analysis
Delta's decision to broaden its culinary hits serves several strategic aims. First, consistent premium dining can justify higher fares in competitive business markets such as Seattle-Amsterdam or New York-Los Angeles. Second, signature partnerships with chefs and lifestyle brands reinforce Delta's upmarket positioning versus legacy rivals. Finally, offering healthier economy options addresses a long-standing pain point for travelers who cannot or prefer not to rely on airport concessions or pre-packed meals.
Operationally, network-wide rollouts test Delta's catering logistics. Bailey's shrimp stock, for example, must remain stable across multiple flight kitchens with different suppliers. Wine rotations demand tight forecasting to avoid either mid-flight stockouts or costly waste. Early results suggest the airline's planning team has balanced novelty with scalability, as indicated by passenger satisfaction surveys that now place food quality among Delta's top three service attributes.
Final Thoughts
Delta's summer menu refresh shows how airlines can translate direct passenger feedback into tangible service upgrades. Whether savoring Chef Bailey's artichoke ravioli in Delta One, grabbing a Shake Shack burger up front, or choosing Farmer's Fridge chia pudding in coach, travelers will see more variety, healthier ingredients, and premium touches on a wider slate of flights. For those mapping out warm-weather trips, the added flavors might just make the journey taste as good as the destination-another sign of how Delta expands in-flight dining.